Sola ScripturaPart 2: Truth & Authority

Ezekiel Hasbrook

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.--2 Timothy 3:16-17

The essential point of this passage is not that Scripture is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, instruction, or that by it man may be complete for every good work. These are all important but they do not in and of themselves justify the claim of sola Scriptura as highest authority. What justifies the claim is the fact that Scripture is breathed out by God. Because it is from God it is the highest authority, And because all other so-called authorities have been shown to be fallible, it “alone” is the highest authority.

…no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. —1 Peter 1:19-21

Again, Scripture is from God. Only God is infallible. Therefore Scripture alone (God’s Word) is the highest authority.

The point was made previously (in Sola Scriptura, Part 1) that reason is an authority and is necessary for the comprehension of all things; yet I am here stating that Scripture is the sole authority. This is no contradiction. It is noteworthy at this point to understand that the phrase sola Scriptura derives much of its significance from the Reformation reaction to the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church which states that Scripture alone is insufficient without the official interpretation of the Magisterium (i.e., the bishops in communion with the Pope whose office it is to give the authentic interpretation of the Word of God). This is evident in the 85th paragraph of the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

The task of giving an authentic interpretation of the Word of God, whether in its written form or in the form of Tradition, has been entrusted to the living, teaching office of the Church alone. Its authority in this matter is exercised in the name of Jesus Christ. This means that the task of interpretation has been entrusted to the bishops in communion with the successor of Peter, the Bishop of Rome.

This claim that the Roman Catholic Church alone has the authority to interpret the Scripture puts the Magisterium on equal par with the Scripture. This is further indicated in the 95th paragraph of the CCC:

It is clear therefore that, in the supremely wise arrangement of God, Sacred Tradition, Sacred Scripture, and the Magisterium of the Church are so connected and associated that one of them cannot stand without the others. Working together, each in its own way, under the action of the Holy Spirit, they all contribute effectively to the salvation of soul.

Here we see Rome teaching that the Scripture cannot stand alone without Tradition and the Magisterium of the Roman Catholic Church. Furthermore, since the Church of Rome alone holds the office of giving authentic interpretation of the Scripture, and since the Scripture cannot stand without the Tradition and the Magisterium, and since they all contribute to the salvation of souls, it only follows that no one can come to a complete and saving knowledge apart from the Roman Catholic Church.

In response to this false doctrine, Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the chapel at Wittenberg in 1517, and sparked the Protestant Reformation. Later, when he was asked by Archbishop Trier, “Do you or do you not repudiate your books and the errors which they contain?” Luther replied:

Since then, Your Majesty and Your Lordships desire a simple reply, I will answer without horns and without teeth. Unless I am convinced by Scripture and plain reason, I do not accept the authority of popes and councils, for they have contradicted each other--my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand, I cannot do otherwise. God help me.[1]

From Luther's words here we can ascertain three noteworthy points: (1) he appeals to the authority of Scripture, (2) he appeals to the authority of reason, and (3), he denies the authority of popes and councils (i.e., the Magisterium) because they have demonstrated themselves to be fallible and contrary to reason in that they have violated the most basic law of logic, the law of non-contradiction. However, when Luther appeals to the authority of reason he does not make reason an authority higher than or even equal to the Scripture. Forreason is a fundamental principle underlying the Scripture.

The Bible is the revelation of the mind of God to His creatures. God is a rational Being. The Scripture, a revelation from this rational Being is itself rational. Man, created in the Image of God is also a rational being. Thus from the source (God), to the product (Scripture), to the recipient of the product (man), reason is intimately intertwined and therefore is not to be seen as a separate authority but as an attribute inherent within the Authority. It is only necessary to emphasize reason because there are today—as there always have been—those who either ignore or repudiate reason’s role in the interpretation of the Scripture.

The Spirit of God will lead us into all truth. And Truth will never contradict itself. There is in the Holy Scripture an intricate system whereby each truth stands in perfect relation to the next and the whole in perfect harmony with itself. If ever we interpret the Scripture in a way in which this is not the result, then we know that we have strayed from the Spirit of God in our study of His Word and the time for repentance has come.

In regard to ‘other authorities’—whether they be the Church, the traditions of the Church, individuals in the Church who claim to have to have a ‘Word from God,’ or any secular authority—insofar as they conform and submit to what is expressly stated in the Scripture, they are to be respected. Insofar as they do not conform and submit to what is expressly stated in the Scripture they are not to be respected. The Scripture itself teaches this:

The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish Synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word in all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if

these things were so.—Acts 17: 10-11

Here, Paul brings the Word of God to the Bereans. Yet the Bereans check Paul’s word against the authority of the Scripture to see if what he was saying was true. Moreover, the Scripture refers to them as more noble than others because of this, thus approving what they did. It follows then that if the teaching of Paul was under the authority of the Scripture then so also is any Church, any tradition, and any individual who claims to have a ‘Word from God.’ This is taught even more explicitly in Galatians 1:8-9:

But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed As we have said before, so now we say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you have received, let him be accursed.

Sola Scriptura is our creed. For our God is not a God of confusion. He is a God of perfect order. He has created a reality of perfect order. He has created us as rational beings in His image so that we may know Him, and so that we may live in and make sense of the reality He created. As rational beings, we have the ability to reason. He has given us a revelation of Himself that is in accord with sound reason. This self-revelation, the Holy Scripture, is the highest authority and absolute standard to which and by which all other truth claims are to be submitted and tested. He has given us His Holy Spirit so that we may see clearly, and so that He may lead us into all truth. And truth is always in accord with reason and logic, never conflicting with itself. For He Himself is the Truth, and He is perfect.